Free Guns for Satellite TV Subscribers! What?

Looking to snag yourself a free firearm? Simply purchase a subscription for satellite television, and a shotgun is yours for the keeping! The new promotions are part of a campaign from Dish Network and RadioShack stores in southwest Idaho and western Montana.

The offer gives new subscribers a coupon for $135 to purchase a single-shot shotgun at local sporting goods stores. That's some serious savings! And according to one Montana shop, it's a huge attraction. Business has tripled since inception. Only in America do you get a gun when you purchase 500-plus TV channels. How sweet it is to live in the land of the free, right?

At first when I read this, I was outraged. Guns, really? John Marshall, the owner of the Radio Shack store in Idaho, says that the poor economy was a huge motivator for this deal. Right, because giving depressed individuals who are down on their luck a gun voucher is totally a great idea! Not!

But then I think of where this is all happening, and in some ways -- it starts to make sense. When you get out of the cities and enter mainstream America, there's much more of a culture for these things. So while this may not be the safest or best idea where I live, I can't say that it's the worst concept I've ever heard of considering the store's demographic. Hell, you have to hand it to the store for knowing their niche audience. So in Montana and Idaho, they're offering guns. Maybe in Vegas, Radio Shack is offering a stack of casino chips and complimentary rooms. And in New York, I could foresee some sort of credit toward a gym membership or taxi reimbursement.

I do think that ultimately, there may be a few more appropriate freebiesto hand out with a TV subscription, though. You know, that don't have the ability to kill people. The good news here is that before claiming their gun -- customers must undergo a background check. Those who don't qualify or prefer to opt-out of the prize receive a $50 certificate to Pizza Hut instead. Mmmmm, that just sounds so much tastier, doesn't it?

What do you think about offering a free gun with the purchase of satellite TV?